Electronic Artist ROB ASTOR Weaves A Neo-Classical Fantasy On His New Double CD XENOPHOBIA ROB ASTOR’s Newest Collection Is Light-Years Beyond His Previous Music Drawing on his love of mythology and natural history, Rob Astor turned his musical direction backward into the past to create his newest musical masterpiece XENOPHOBIA. He wasn’t content to simply rest after the success of 2005’s MARSTROPOLIS. Shortly after recording the futuristic double disc collection, another musical story began germinating. Expanding his horizons to the limits of creativity, Rob Astor took on the daunting task of composing Classical Orchestration. “I wanted to construct a Semi-Symphonic album very much in the spirit of David Arkenstone’s ATLANTIS. After visiting dreams on QUADRANGULAR OSCILLATIONS and taking a trip to the future with MARSTROPOLIS, this time I wanted to focus on mythology. I had a story idea I wanted to put to music. I set out to compose a movie soundtrack.” XENOPHOBIA is a soundtrack, in every sense of the word. Ten months went into the album’s creation. “I heard a lot of music in my head I needed to bring into this world. Classical arrangements are much trickier to compose. This project became more than just a labor of love. XENOPHOBIA was an experience of intimacy with music I have never felt before.” Growth as an artist is very important to Rob Astor. The differences between the music heard on XENOPHOBIA and MARSTROPOLIS underscores his willingness to continue exploring and developing musical ideas. “The majority of big label musicians don’t get a chance to develop as artists. There’s no opportunity for improvement.” Although Rob Astor’s development is vastly improved, there’s a feel of familiarity to his newest music. XENOPHOBIA opens with the beautifully dreamy “Tropic Of Antarctica”. Gorgeous 12-string Guitar lends the feel of floating over a pristine glacier as a deep backbeat reminds listeners of Rob’s video game-like style captured on MARSTROPOLIS. In the next instant, Rob Astor places himself up against the likes of John Williams with dazzling Neo-Classical arrangements. His orchestrations often weave complimentary atmospheric keyboard layers through their tapestries, breathing fresh life into a genre most musicians fail to appreciate. However, branching out into orchestra music isn’t the only new territory Rob Astor indulges in and perfects with a signature sound of his own. Fusing Electronica, Neo-Classical, and Progressive Rock has yielded one of the finest tracks Rob has ever recorded in “Forest Of The Black Moon”. Rob says the incredibly poetic Stevie Nicks inspired the title. Fans are treated to two alternate versions of this track included as bonus material. XENOPHOBIA also harkens back to Rob Astor’s previous albums where Techno Electronica and New Age dominated his work. The evidence for up-beat dance music is best showcased in “Biohazard” and “Kutulu”. They retain Rob’s semblance as an electronic identity. “If there was a nightclub scene in the story of XENOPHOBIA, ‘Kutulu’ would be playing in the background.” Much like Rob Astor’s electronic efforts, up-beat music can also be found in his Classical compositions. The track “Zero Hour” really moves, lending a sense of hurry and urgency. New Age takes center stage on several tracks, adding a degree of darkness to XENOPHOBIA’s story. From the chilling “The Poison In The Apple” to the spacey “Neptune Rising”, Rob Astor remains true to his roots. A modern day Renaissance man, Rob Astor crafted a medieval sounding track in “Atana Potnia”, using instruments such as wind dulcimers, concert harps, flutes, and tribal percussion to synthesize the feeling of a young maiden strolling through a green forest. XENOPHOBIA’s haunting title track opens on a very low note, blending Far Eastern vocal lines and cellos, giving the word xenophobia what Rob calls “a musical definition”. XENOPHOBIA is packed with historical and mythological titles, cementing Rob Astor’s musical fairy tale to things sometimes easily recognized and those far less familiar. A slew names and phrases breathes new life. Musical meanings transpose from obscure to familiar. The Latin phrase “Quod Erat Demonstrandum”, meaning “as was shown”, closes the album’s story with a feeling of watching the credits scroll across a movie screen. “Omphalos” to the ancient Greeks was the “center of the world”. On XENOPHOBIA, it is the center of an ancient and mythical civilization. “In La’kesh” in Mayan means, “I am your other self”. How this track fits into the framework of XENOPHOBIA is where Rob takes liberties as a master story teller. Mythical figures play prominent roles in XENOPHOBIA. “Kronos” and “Ouranos” were ancient Greek Gods, often violent, while “Enyo” was the Goddess of Destruction. “Yucatan Cataclysm” is historically connected to this title. Enyo was the name of the asteroid that struck the Yucatan Peninsula sixty-five million years ago, bringing an end to the age of the dinosaurs. Using alternate spellings or older names for some of the characters in his play, Rob Astor defines them as his own. Mentioned in a set of ancient linear tablets found at Knossos, “Atana Potnia” later evolved into the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Athena. “Kutulu” is a nod to the many fictional influences Rob Astor attributes his creativity to. This title is an alternate spelling of an H. P. Lovecraft character based in part on the Biblical Leviathan, the Babylonian Pazuzu, and the Sumerian Tiamat. Packed with a myriad of styles and influences, Rob Astor’s XENOPHOBIA melds the sounds of artists like Tangerine Dream, Spencer Nilsen, Cusco, James Horner, David Arkenstone, Ken Davis, John Williams, Biosphere, Liquid Mind, Wendy Carlos, Zach Davids, Vangelis, Norm Orenstein, and Spyro Gyra. The end result is a sound that defines Rob Astor as a musician. Quality and sophistication is what you come to expect. Rob Astor’s music is something you can listen to over and over again, and continue to find something new to explore. Just like in any good movie. Visit Rob Astor on the Internet at: http://www.myspace.com/soloartistrobastor • • • XENOPHOBIA Take a fantasy journey through an alternate history and mythology on my latest concept album, XENOPHOBIA. Much of the music is the best I’ve ever written and recorded. Individual soundscapes sweep you through a fictional story inspired by the music itself. Discover the beauty of 12-string acoustic guitar and atmospheric synthesizer layers with accompanying piano. Feel the power of a symphonic orchestra from bright and victorious, to dark and foreboding. Have a sample of wind dulcimers and concert harps mixed with tribal percussion. Take in techno and trance. Allow your imagination to roam wild and free, untamed like the Earth of our distant past. Rob Astor All tracks composed, arranged, performed, recorded, and produced by Rob Astor. © 2006 by Rob Astor. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable law. CD 1 1. Tropic Of Antarctica Welcome to the paradise of Earth in its primal youth; lush, vibrant, and populated by a multiplicity of life. It’s a much warmer, much more humid place than modern day human beings are accustomed to. Pangaea dominates the face of the planet, the large super-continent its most recognizable surface feature. The sub-continent of Antarctica lies much father north, unlike the Antarctica of present day, resting along the Tropic of Capricorn. The land is covered with green forests, home to many species of dinosaur, a true tropical paradise. Here is where the story of XENOPHOBIA begins. Ancient, savage gods rule the world under the tyrannical reign of Ouranos. God of the Sky, Ouranos has conceived a race of children with Gaia, Goddess of the Earth. Their conception resulted in the birth of an intelligent super-race called Titans. The God-like Titans have been banished to this part of the world, cross-breeding with the dinosaurs to create an intelligent Saurian race, biding their time as they hatch a plan to overthrow the rule of the world under the leadership of Ouranos’ son, Kronos. Antarctica, considered the most beautiful place on the face of this ancient Earth, is the perfect cover to conceal something even more insidious than the crimes of Ouranos. 2. Omphalos Omphalos, the center of the world, and the center of civilization. An ancient, towering city of stone marks the place where the Gods, Titans, and Saurians have struck a bargain to live in peace. The three races trade and prosper, existing in symbiotic cooperation. The city is built on an island off the coast off the Yucatan Peninsula of the North American sub-continent. The exact spot is called Chixilub, a place bearing a foreboding meaning. Chixilub translates to “The Tail Of The Devil”. For many generations after the banishment of the Titans, Omphalos has enjoyed growth and prosperity in spite of the belief of locals that the Yucatan is marked for disaster. An ancient “Tel Megiddo”. Both sides whisper two names in conjunction with this prophecy. Ouranos and Kronos. It’s believed a great final showdown between them will happen at Chixilub. 3. Nexus Maximus A great marble rotunda stands near the center of Omphalos. Serving as a symbol of prestige and democracy, Nexus Maximus has weathered tense sparring between Gods, Titans, Saurians and separatist Saurians who choose not to follow the doctrines they had no part in creating for governing civilization. Representatives of all sides meet here, in peace, to discuss the state of their world and to present ideas for improving society. Ouranos, who created the Titans, stubbornly holds onto a tradition of rule by supremacy. Kronos has rallied members to his cause, a cause beneficial for co-existence. The Saurians have reason to distrust their two opponents. They were created by the Titans and are often expected to be submissive to them. The majority, however, choose to side with Kronos. The remaining Saurians have no use of the Gods, anymore than the Gods had use for them as mindless beasts roaming a planet ripe for the hunt. As with modern government, there are no clear and easy answers when seemingly intelligent begins have closed themselves off to change. 4. Ouranos Dynamic, overbearing, quick to anger, Ouranos has ruled the Earth since time in memoriam. There is no written record or memory of any God existing before him. Recently, rumors speak of a more ancient being, one Ouranos placed himself above in order to be King. The name Aether is passed along in whispered tales, tales traced back to Kronos. Gaia incited him, having sympathy and compassion for her long banished children. She whispers promises of great power to her favored son if only his father can be removed from the throne. Seizing the opportunity, Kronos rallies his allies. Ouranos must pay for his crimes. Hearing tellings of the new belief system from his wife Gaia, Ouranos is outraged, as she knew he would be. Claiming there were no others before him, the ancient God leads a savage attack against his son Kronos, leader of the Titans. However, the change in the systems of belief has left Ouranos weakened. Many of his trusted advisors and generals have abandoned him. With one powerful blow, Kronos castrates Ouranos, deposing and slaughtering him. A Golden Age has begun. 5. Forest Of The Black Moon Once a year, a great celebration takes place near Omphalos. It marks the victory of Kronos over his tyrant father. Since that time, there has been peace and stability between all three races of Earth. Under towering trees on limestone cliffs by the seashore, they gather to a great feast. The moon is much larger in the sky than it appears in our modern daytime. Its orbit used to be closer to Earth, and the length of the day used to be shorter. Over the eons, gravity has slowed both celestial bodies. After the feast, there is a masquerade ball. Costumed in their finest, wearing hats with three points, frilly coats, knickers with fine silk stockings, and masks with two long horns and a long nose, they dance during the great lunar eclipse. If modern day people should witness the celebration, they might equate it to ballroom dancing. The only difference is that the festival takes place in the forest late at night, under a starry sky when the moon is black. 6. The Poison In The Apple Pleased with the success of Kronos, Gaia has secretly become the Serpent in Paradise. Gaia knows Kronos craves the absolute power Ouranos wielded. She guides her son, watching him closely, keeping track of every activity of the Gods, Titans, and Saurians. Before she gave birth to the Titans, Gaia had other offspring. She thought her husband destroyed them all. Until she heard tales of terrible beasts thriving in underground caverns. Weaving tales of greater power and glory to Kronos, Gaia asks him to lead them from captivity, assuring him of their gratitude and loyalty once freed. 7. Biohazard Seeking to consolidate his iron grip over the whole of the Earth, Kronos realizes he will need a powerful army. Listening to his mother, Kronos visits those lost siblings under the surface of the planet, thinking of an alliance to benefit his unspoken plans. They have an agenda of their own. To take control of the planet. They want revenge upon the offspring of the dead Ouranos. Fleeing back to Omphalos, Kronos delivers a desperate message before the governing councils of Nexus Maximus. He claims the creatures of the netherworld are a biohazard to society, carrying a variety of microbial diseases that would infect and decimate the surface populations. Stricken with fear, seeking leadership and a course of action, everyone looks to him for an answer. Kronos orders that every passage below surface should be blocked off. Completely trusting their leader, Kronos, the Gods, Titans, and Saurians use every means at their disposal to seal up the lower parts of planet Earth to prevent what Kronos declares is a plague of extinction. 8. Kronos Motives revealed between mother and son has put Kronos and Gaia at odds with each other. Managing to take control of creation, creating a vast army, and holding every corner of Pangaea in an iron grip, Kronos no longer considers the possibility of danger to his rule. In short order, he has become the same tyrant he once overthrew. Gaia plans to free her lost offspring and depose her son, using a subtler tactic. She presents Kronos with a peace offering. A wife. Rhea accepts her position and reigns as queen. Kronos believes Fate has smiled upon him. The mighty Titans rule the world. Nothing can topple their knightly sire. The sinister Gaia and her new ally know better. 9. Xenophobia Kronos preaches distrust of his fellow Titans, the Gods who have scattered to the far corners of the Earth, and even of the Saurians he helped to create. He also teaches fear, a fear of everyone and every new culture. Kronos clings to a narrow-minded view of how the world should be governed, with him positioned at the center. The ancient Titan has so often spoken of distrusting everything that he even believes in and unconsciously practices his own teachings. A prophecy from his priests speaks of offspring being born to Kronos, one of which will slay him and seize control of the world. When Rhea presents Kronos with children, his out right distrust of his wife and fear of his mother, Gaia, force him to do the unthinkable. He swallows his children whole. Kronos thinks he has thwarted the plans of his mother. However, Rhea bears one more child, a son she names Zeus. Spiriting Zeus to safety, Rhea wraps a stone in swaddling clothes. Kronos ingests it without question. The baby is safely hidden from his father until he matures into a God who will cast off Kronos’ oppressive rule. 10. Jester Spies lurk in every corner of the kingdom. Spies serving all sides of society. Crafty in his advanced age, Kronos keeps spies hidden in plain sight. One of the best, who whispers in his ear all the tattlings of the kingdom, is a simple Court Jester. Dressed in bright colored outfits decorated with geometric shapes and wearing a funny looking hat and shoes, to see him in action is comical. Carnival-like music plays as he walks on his hands, juggles various objects, performs card tricks that often go astray, and executes a myriad of simple magic tricks. No one suspects the Jester is also dangerously vile, the most lethal adversary to encounter. Drinks often end up poisoned when he’s around. Children, rightly so, often fear and have nightmares about this spinning, painted apparition. 11. Lord Riven Appointed head of the military by Kronos himself, Lord Riven has created a legacy of utter destruction in his wake. Although born to privilege and bread with the finest manners, Lord Riven’s brutal methods of attack leave the very Earth ripped open, gouged and destroyed. Wherever he has battled, Lord Riven leaves nothing alive, not even a single blade of grass. Champion to Kronos’ every cause, he is always found at the Titan’s side, ready to destroy any threat to the sovereign ruler. 12. In La’kesh (I Am Your Other Self) Gaia’s initial plan to destroy Kronos has met with failure. Zeus, reaching maturity, carries too many of his father’s and grandfather’s characteristics of megalomania. He dreams of a world populated by lesser beings, who look like the Gods, but are subservient to every whim of the immortals. He dreams of glorious battles, magnificent cities, and offerings of gold. Rhea finds another way, however, to carry out the plan against the Titan. Zeus is offered a wife named Metis and impregnates her. Rhea spins a tale of Zeus being destroyed by his own offspring. Shrinking Metis down, Zeus swallows his wife and child whole. As time passes, Zeus begins hearing voices inside his head. They go against his every motive, a conscience of sorts. Eventually, they demand release. Zeus realizes he carries a fully-grown daughter and she will stop at nothing to be brought into this world. It’s a battle of wills Zeus will not win. She gives him terrible headaches and sleep loss, screaming through his brain. Zeus has not a single moment of peace. When he cannot bear another second of torment, Zeus orders his skull split open with an axe. The blow administered, Zeus perishes giving birth to his daughter, Goddess of Wisdom and Strategic Warfare, Atana Potnia. She springs fully-grown from Zeus’ head and quickly assumes the leadership of the Gods. 13. Atana Potnia Taking stage in creation, Atana Potnia is rejected by Kronos and lusted after by Lord Riven. To the former, she is an upstart princess guilty of patricide, a crime Kronos himself is guilty of committing. To the latter, she is an object of power and a way for Lord Riven to assume control from the aging Titan. However, Atana Potnia is the embodiment of purity and innocence. She has no need for corruption and no desire for lust. In governmental meetings, she speaks out against the atrocities of Kronos and his minions. She denounces his doctrines of xenophobia, rule through fear, and preemptive slaughter in the name of peace. Atana Potnia becomes a voice of reason for the Gods, Titans, and Saurians. She gains their support for true change and peace. The Goddess is their symbol of hope, their champion for justice. Under Atana Potnia’s leadership, a new world order is drafted, one that will not only ensure peace, but guarantee prosperity for all in the ages to come. The new form of government is called democracy. When a call for Kronos is made for the Titan to relinquish his tyrannical power and vacate his meaningless throne, a great war ensues. Once again, creation is divided along three sides. Kronos rallies the Titans to his side, citing the goddess is herself a murderess. The gods side with Atana Potnia. The Saurians, more often innocent bystanders in the scheme of creation, create technologies to save themselves from destruction. Atana Potnia, unable to sway them to join her, tells the Saurians to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice if the need to cleanse the Earth of evil escalates beyond the Goddess’ control. CD 2 1. Tyrant Lizard With little progress made for the cause of democracy or for the continuing rule of the tyrant Titan, Lord Riven suggests peace talks. Kronos accuses him of becoming soft. Lord Riven explains his ruse. Lure the little upstart princess into the open and he will ensure that Atana Potnia is slaughtered. Making the journey through the forest to reach Nexus Maximus, Atana Potnia is confronted by a very large Tyrannosaurus Rex. Sent by Lord Riven, the dinosaur stalked the Goddess and attacks with sudden, savage furry. Capable in every form of combat, as a Goddess of War should be, Atana Potnia deflects the attack, using her spear to ward off the mammoth creature. Enraged by the deception of her enemies, the long years of struggle for change reach a bitter realization and a chilling climax. Atana Potnia knows there cannot be lasting peace until a decisive victory is won. An ultimate display of power that will ensure no future attacks by any Titan, God, or even Gaia herself. 2. Enyo Retreating from the Earth itself, Atana Potnia disappears into outer space. Kronos and Lord Riven are certain of their victory. They decide to launch a final attack against the Goddess’ remaining armies positioned near Chixilub. At the distant fringes of the solar system, Atana Potnia finds her weapon in an asteroid she hurls on a collision trajectory with Earth. The huge mass of stone, metal, and ice is truly demonic in appearance. Geysers of frozen gas spew from canyons. Chunks of loose material swarm around the main body, bound by gravity. Tumbling wildly through space, Enyo, the embodiment of destruction, careens toward the vibrant blue planet. Atana Potnia is certain of her victory. 3. Yucatan Cataclysm Riding on dinosaur mounts, Kronos and Lord Riven lead the way to Chixilub on the Yucatan Peninsula. They sense final victory. Their troops march toward destiny. It is a grand spectacle to behold. Hundreds of thousands bear arms and carry the blood red banners of the Titan ruler. Reaching their destination, Kronos is surprised to find a solitary figure. He and his armies are met only with the figure of an unarmed Atana Potnia. She ascends to the top of a mountain and stretches her arms high into the clear blue sky. A fiery mass falls from the heavens, guided by the Goddess. Splitting into two sections, the largest slams into ground zero where a shocked Titan and a surprised General meet their fates. At the very end, they have respect for Atana Potnia’s brilliance. The asteroid crashes into Chixilub. The explosion is tremendous, rattling the very Earth so violently that its orbit around the sun is altered slightly, the rotational period of the planet is changed, and Pangaea separates. Continental masses break apart, slipping into new positions on the face of the planet. A great mushroom cloud of fiery debris rises high into the atmosphere, quickly blotting out day and transforming it into a long cold night. The shockwave races out, flattening everything in a ring of fire. 4. Zero Hour The final attack, the one mistakenly foreseen for Kronos and Ouranos, has come to pass. There is barely time for the remaining Saurians to flee with little more than their very lives. Scrambling, they board spacecraft, leaving the Earth as a wall of destruction obliterates the world of old. Gone is the great city of Omphalos. The majesty of Nexus Maximus is now nothing more than a memory. Atana Potnia appears to the Saurians floating in orbit. The Goddess shows them a way to leave this solar system behind. The can find a brand new home in the cosmos, a home where their natural evolution can once again take hold. Atana Potnia will remain here and create a brand new race, one free from the rule of immortal tyrants. One free to love. 5. Neptune Rising The Saurians, exiting the solar system, gain gravity boosts by passing around the Sun, Jupiter, and finally Neptune. These energetic increases provide a slingshot effect. The added acceleration throws their starships deeper into space. Eventually, the Saurians will escape the Sun’s gravitational influence completely. The Earth will be left behind forever. Approaching their last destination within the solar system, a bluish Neptune looms in the distance, rising as if a surreal morning painting. There is a feeling of hope for the future, a notion there will never be competition for the dominance of a new home world, wherever it may be. 6. Velvet Void/Ocean Of Stars Generations pass aboard the ships making up the vast Saurian fleet. Stories are repeated in complex oral and written histories, to serve as reminders to future generations of what happened on Earth. The stars of the galaxy burn brilliantly in the eternal night. Scouts explore passing star systems, searching for a place where life can begin anew. All the while, some cannot help but wonder what became of the Earth upon their ancestors’ departure. Was there new life, as Atana Potnia said, thriving or simply struggling to survive an endless nuclear winter? The Saurians would never know. Their blessing was to never be caught in the middle of a power struggle ever again, unless it was one of their own making. 7. Alberio Binary Many light-years and thousands of years of travel later, the Saurians find a planet they can call home. An M-Class planet ripe with life and vegetation, and abundant with water, orbiting the yellow star in the binary system called Alberio brings their journey to an end. Evolution takes hold again on this new world. Civilization is rebuilt. This new beginning under a blue star and a gold star frees the Saurians from any threat of the past forever. 8. Quod Erat Demonstrandum Meaning, “as was shown”, you have reached the end of my musical movie. It is here the screen fades to black and the credits begin to roll. Did the story have any impact on you? Was the theme clear enough? Do you recognize any of the actors’ names? Are any of the numerous crew personnel familiar? Will the film be nominated for any awards? These questions probably aren’t important to you as you stand, stretch, drop your popcorn cup to the floor, sip the last of your carbonated beverage, and file towards the exit. You’ll know me when you see me. I’m seated somewhere in the center, watching the screen. Come on over. Shake my hand. Congratulate me. Tell me how much you enjoyed it. I’ll be waiting until the credits are done and the last note of the music fades. After all, this was my music and my movie. -- Bonus Tracks -- 9. Kutulu This track was originally intended to be a part of the overall XENOPHOBIA story. I wanted something dark and heavy. The music took on a life-force of its own, refusing to cooperate with me in any way. So, I let this track take shape by itself, casting off synth layers and electric guitars to become a keyboard lead with a funky, chunky, deep, and heavy rhythm. It’s completely different than any of the other music on the album. The final product is heavy, but too much fun to be part of a tragic story. “Kutulu” is an alternate spelling of an H. P. Lovecraft character based in part on the Biblical Leviathan, he Babylonian Pazuzu, and the Sumerian Tiamat. I was going to go for an oceanic force in the final battle of XENOPHOBIA led by this truly gigantic character. Now it’s a fun follow-up to the up-beat and optimistic closing track “Quod Erat Demonstrandum”. 10. Through The Eyes Of The Dragon/Breath Of Fire Four days worth of mixing sound effects went into the production of this track, and it still wasn’t included in the final story. But, that’s okay. I was going to have Kronos appearing in different places to create trouble from time to time, however, the story is told well enough to exclude the use of additional dinosaurs or dragons or more interference by Kronos. Sometimes, stories evolve in such a way so as the use of drafted scenes don’t have the same impact with the rest of the story and it’s best to just leave them out. 11. Forest Of The Black Moon (Extended Version) Here is the first version of this track, well over eleven minutes in length. I liked it a lot, but, I knew this was going to have to be the extended version. I knew I needed trim out a lot of the extras to come up with the album cut. The title is very much inspired by Stevie Nicks and is based on one of her unreleased tracks called “Forest Of The Black Roses”. “Forest Of The Black Moon” is my first outing into Progressive Rock territory and is one of my best, and certainly one of my favorites. 12. Forest Of The Black Moon (Alternate Version) The second version of this track, minus many of the extras and some repeating parts. Instinctively, I knew it was still just a little bit too long for an album version, but, liked it enough to keep it as this alternate take. One final editing session produced the final album version of “Forest Of The Black Moon” included on disc number one. •••••Special Links••••• If you like my music, here are some links to other CDBaby artists you might also enjoy. Some of them have similar sounds or styles, or are friends whose music I admire. Take the time to check them out! Inquisitor Betrayer's SPACE ELEVATOR http://cdbaby.com/cd/inquisitorbetrayer